Manhole lid locking means



Get. 114, 1952 H. A. NEAL 2,613,975

MANHOLE LID LOCKING MEANS Filed April 22, 1949 IN VENT OR.

BY fiarg/ A /\/ea/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANHQLE LID LOCKING S Harry A. Neal, La Grange, I11. I

Application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 89,110

12 Claims.

My invention relates to manholes and particularly to means for holding manhole lids in proper operative position on manhole rings.

An object of my invention is to provide relatively simple and inexpensive means comprising relatively few parts for holding a manhole lid in' its proper operative position on a manhole ring.

Another object of my invention is to provide relatively simple manhole lid holding means that shall be substantially entirely concealed by the lid itself.

Another object of my invention is to provide manhole lid holding means that shall permit of easily and quickly applying the same to a lid and that shall also easily and quickly permit of changing the position of certain of its component parts to permit removal of the lid whenever desired.

Other objects of my invention will either be obvious from a description of one form of device embodying my invention or will be pointed out hereinafter in the course of such description and particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a manhole lid on a manhole ring with my improved manhole lid holding means associated therewith,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

' Fig. 3 is a view of the manhole lid locking means showing the parts in the position they will occupy when ready to be mounted on a lid,

Fig. 4 is a view, in side elevation, of one of the arms of my improved locking means,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the inner end of an arm,

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the part shown in Fig. 5, and,

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, of a modified form of the outer end of an arm of my improved device.

I have illustrated a manhole ring II in Fig. 2 of the drawings, as being made of concrete and as having an upper shouldered recess l3 therein for the reception of a manhole lid l5 which has been shown as of relatively thin metal. As is usual in manhole lids of this general kind the lid |5 is adapted to fit loosely into the shouldered annular recess l3, and while I have illustrated a relatively flat lid, I do not desire to be limited thereto since the lid may be made of upwardly arcuate shape in diametral section.

It is obvious that when an ordinary manhole lid is placed relatively loosely against the upper inner shouldered edge of a manhole ring, it is relatively easy for the same to be dislodged from its proper operative position by outside means. For instance, in the manhole of a sewer or of some other public utility conduit, subject to the wheels of passing vehicles, it may happen that lids which were either distorted while being made or which have become distorted while in use, may be entirely dislodged from the ring by a passing vehicle and it may also happen that unauthorized persons will pry the lid out of its operative position by a lever bar or other similar means. A distorted lid may also cause noise when struck by the wheels of vehicles passing over it.

In practicing my invention I provide, in the form at present preferred by me, a plurality of straplike arms I! and at present I prefer to use three such arms, the main portion of each of which is substantially straight and extends substantially radially of the manhole opening inside of the structure and substantially, although not necessarily, parallel to the surface of the lid itself. The inner ends of the plurality of straplike arms overlap each other and are pivotally secured together as by a suitable rivet 19.

The outer end portion of each arm is provided with a return-bent portion 2|, which is of loopshape and which then joins with a laterally extending substantially straight portion 23, which portion is adapted to extend upwardly closely adjacent to but out of engagement with the inner face 24 of the manhole ring itself. The upper end of portion 23 is connected with a second return-bent end portion 25, the general shape of the end portion of one of the arms being shown in detail in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It will be noted that the end portion of each arm including the parts 2|, 23 and 25 is adapted to overlappingly interfit with the ring of the manhole while the return-bent portion 25 is adapted to overlapping interfit with the outer peripheral edge of the lid. The three arms are to be substantially uniformly spaced apart from each other peripherally of the lid, when in proper operative position.

I wish to here point out that the loop-like return-bent portion 2| can be altered to some extent so that its initial shape shown in Fig. 4, can be changed to fit it on a manhole ring of slightly greater thickness. The changed shape of portion 2| is shown in the broken lines to which the numeral 21 has been applied in Fig. 4. It is also evident that it is easily possible for an operator installing a manhole lid locking means embodying my invention to hammer the loop portion 2| upwardly, when it is found that the manhole ring is slightly thinner than others. It is also evident that the extreme outer end portion 29 of the part 25 alone engages the upper surface of the lid, and it is here pointed out that I prefer to make these arms of strap-like metal strip or bar, of suificient thickness to endure the rough handling to which a locking or holding means of this kind will be subjected while being installed and the relatively rough use to which a device of this kind will be sublected if used on a manhole lid installed in a public street subject to heavy vehicular trafiic.

Referring now to Fig. 3 of the drawings, as well as to the dash lines of Fig. 1 thereof, I have there shown the relative positions of the plurality of strap-like arms I! when it is desired to either install them on a manhole lid or when it is desired to remove a manhole lid to which such a device has been secured. In order to effect this change in the position of the arms relatively to each other, it is only necessary for an operator to use a short piece of metal, such as a bar or lever, with its one end 'or one end portion placed against one side of the outer portion of part 25 and to hammer the piece of metal or to use a hammer itself against said outer portion of part 25, to effect turning movement of the outer ends of two of the arms I! relatively to the third and intermediate arm ll, that is to cause approaching movement of two of the arms I! toward the third or intermediate arm ll, until the three arms occupy the positions shown in Fig. 3 and in the dash lines in Fig. 1. I desire to point out that while I prefer to make the strap-like arms of relatively thin metal so as to retain resiliency between the two spaced return-bent parts of the end portion, I make them heavy enough so that, as noted above they will withstand relatively rough usage without attendant deformation thereof which would destroy their usefulness.

It is obvious that when the three arms are in the positions relatively to each other as shown in Fig. 'l of the drawings, the lid 15 may be easily and quickly lifted out of its proper operative position relatively to the ring II as by the insertion of a pry bar at that point of the lid substantially opposite to where the outer ends of the three arms engage the lid. In Fig. l of the drawings this would be substantially the right hand part of the lid. While the two return-bent portions 2| and 25 of each arm resiliently overlappingly interengage with the inner edge of the manhole ring, it will be easy to apply sufiicient upward pressure to the lid to cause disengagement of the radially outer end portions of the plurality of arms from the manhole ring itself and removal of thelid from the manhole ring.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, I have there shown a modification of the inner ends of the arms I! in that these inner end portions are bowed or of arcuate shape with the-inner ends made of rounded shape as shown in Fig. 6. I may even make the bowed part of generally spherical shape so that when the three arms have been. riveted together, these inner ends will-nest one with the other.

Referring to Fig. '7, I have shown a modification of the outer part of the second return-bent'end portion 25 and this part 3| is of generally arcuate shape and its outer end maybe rounded as is the 4 inner end of each arm [1, as shown particularly in Fig. 6.

I wish to point out that it is of course highly desirable and practically necessary that a holding or locking means for a manhole lid shall be substantially entirely concealed by the lid itself, only suificient part thereof being visible to permit of effecting a change in the holding means whereby it is made possible to remove the lid. It is further obvious that a device embodying my invention may be applied to a manhole lid with the arms in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings as by forcing the edge of the lid into the return-bent portions 25, after which the lid may be placed on the manhole ring and the two outer arms be then hammered or moved into substantially the positions shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings where they will be substantially uniformly peripherally spaced around the outer edge of the lid and the ring.

The use of three arms, as hereinbefore described, provides a three point support for the lid on the manhole ring, so that even if the-lid were not flat at its outer peripheral edge, it would be so supported that there would be practically no tendency for tilting of the lid on the ring even if the wheel of a vehicle engaged the lid at or near a peripheral point thereof, which might otherwise cause it to tilt upwardly, with resultant damage to the vehicle wheel.

I wish to point out that while I have illustrated the use of my invention on the lid of a manhole which may for instance be considered to be that of a sewer cleanout, my invention may be applied to lids for manholes used in many other places and among such places or devices I may mention, for illustrative purposes only, catch basins, cisterns, septic tanks, meter box vaults, cable vaults, pipe vaults, street and gutter drains, underground storage tanks, vaults and reservoirs and many other devices.

I consider it desirable that the device embodying my invention be constructed so that it must be handled in a certain manner and to this end I may make two of the arms I! of slightly greater length than the third arm, so that diametral alinement of these two arms in the course of installation of a lid having my improved locking means thereon or during the removal of such a lid, will be precluded. This will make it impossible for an operator to move both arms'in the same peripheral direction relatively to the third arm and will make it necessary for an operator to cause peripheral movement of one arm in one direction and of a second arm in the opposite direction to cause them to be positioned as shown by the dash lines in Fig. 1. This detail will make it harder for an unauthorized person unacquainted with this fact as to my device to cause removal of a lid from a manhole ring.

It is obvious that I provide a resilient skeleton frame structure including particularly a plurality of pivotally connected arms, the inner ends of which are secured together while the outer ends thereof have each an end portion overlappingly interengaging with the edge portions of the lid and of the manhole ring to thereby hold or lock the lid in its proper operative position against an outer surface of the manhole. A relatively small part only of the holding or locking means is visible on the outside of the lid, such part being arranged to permit of changing the position of certain of the arms relatively to another arm in a certain manner, r of han ng the position of one of the arms relatively to the other arms to permit of easy and quick removal of the lid from the manhole.

While I have illustrated and described a single modification of device embodying my invention, I do not desire to be limited thereto since obvious changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of my invention, and all such modifications coming clearly within the scope of the appended claims shall be considered as being covered thereby.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising a plural-arm skeleton frame below the lid inside of said manhole, each arm having an end portion interfittingly engaging over the edge of the lid and above and below the edges of the ring to prevent free removal of the lid when the lid-locking means is in its operative position. 2 Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising a plural-arm skeleton frame normally positioned below the lid inside of said manhole, each arm having a return-bent end portion overlappingly engaging the edge of the lid and the inner periphery of the ring and said arms being peripherally spaced around the edge of the lid when in operative position.

3. Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising a plural-arm skeleton frame inside of said manhole, each arm having returnbent resilient outer end portions overlappingly engaging the edge of the lid and the upper and lower edges of the ring and said arms being substantially uniformly peripherally spaced around the edges of the lid and of the ring when in looking position.

hole ring comprising a plural-arm skeleton structure to fit inside of said manhole, each arm having a bent outer end portion resiliently overlappingly engaging the upper and lower surfaces at the edges of the lid and ring, said arms being substantially uniformly peripherally spaced from each other when in locking position.

5. Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising a plurality of similar arms, having an end portion of each arm in interfitting engagement with the peripheral edge of the lid and of the upper and lower inner edges of the ring, the main portions of the arms extending inwardly from the end portions, and means pive otally securing the inner ends of said main portions together.

6. Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising a plurality of arms having an end portion of each arm in externally overlapping engagement with the outer peripheral edge of the lid and the upper and lower inner edges of the ring, the main portions of the arms extending inwardly from the outer edge of the lid, and means pivotally securing the inner ends of said main portions together. 7. Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising a plurality of pivotally connected strap-like arms below said lid, each arm having an outer end" portion extending laterally of the main portion of the arm, said lateral portion having two resilient return-bent sections for overlappingly engaging the peripheral edges of the lid and of the ring, said arms being adapted to be substantially uniformly peripherally spaced relatively to the lid when in proper operative position.

8. Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising three pivotally connected 4. Means for locking a manhole lid on a manstrap-like arms, each arm having an outer laterally-extending end portion, said lateral portion having spaced-apart ends adapted to overlap the inner periphery of said ring and the outer one of said ends having a return-bent part adapted to overlap the outer peripheral edge of the lid, said lid being normally supported by said arms on said ring with the outer ends of the arms peripherally spaced from each other and providing a three-point support when in proper operative position.

9. Means for locking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising a plurality of pivotally connected strap-like arms having widely peripherally-spaced outer return-bent end portions overlappingly engaging the inner periphery of the ring at the top and bottom edges thereof and the outer edge of the lid when in operative position and said outer end portions being movable in closely ad'- jacent positions on said lid for placement of the lid in and removal from proper operative position relative to the ring.

10. Means for looking a manhole lid on a manhole ring comprising three strap-like arms inside said manhole and extending radially substantially parallel to said lid, an inner return-bent part, of

the outer end portion of each arm overlappingly engaging the inner surface of the manhole rin and an outer return-bent part of the outer end portion of each arm overlappingly engaging the outer surface of said manhole ring and both the outer and the inner surface of said lid.

11. Means for looking a manhole lid against the inner periphery of manhole ring comprising a plurality of pivotally connected strap-like arms having outer return-bent end portions overlappingly engaging the inner periphery of the ring and the outer edge of the lid at peripherally adjacent points, said outer ends being spaced substantially uniformly apart peripherally when in looking position on the lid and being positioned relatively closely together on the lid when in unlocking position and ready for insertion or removal of the lid, movement of one of said arms from looking into unlocking position relatively to the other arms being effective in a predetermined direction only.

12. Means for looking a manhole lid against the inner peripheral edges of a manhole ring comprising three strap-like arms having their inner ends pivotally connected and having their outer return-bent end portions overlappingly engaging the inner peripheral edges of the ring at the top and bottom and the outer peripheral edge of the lid, said outer ends being adapted to be spaced substantially uniformly apart peripherally of the lid when in looking position thereon and adapted to be positioned relatively closely adjacent to each other when in unlocking position, movement of one of said arms relatively to another of said arms from looking to unlocking position being effected in a predetermined direction only.

HARRY A. NEAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 478,771 Thomas July 12, 1892 830,819 Bartholomew Sept. 11, 1906 2,071,663 Smith Feb. 23, 1937 

